More than 2,000 run in Palio road racesPublished Sept. 21, 2013

By STAN HUDY

Saturday, September 21, 2013

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- As the Saratoga Palio Melanie Merola O'Donnell Memorial race reached new highs in participation, its overall winning times fell courtesy of the participation of several new elite runners.

Ballston Lake runner Eric Macknight set a new course record Sept. 15 for the men's overall time in the 13.1 mile half marathon time of an hour, 7 minutes, 41 seconds and Ballston Spa native Megan Hogan set a new mark for the women, competing in her first-ever half marathon with a time of 1:16.35.

The fleet feet honors in the 5K event belonged to Saratoga Springs runner and current SUNY-Cobleskill runner Evan Quinones, who took the men's honor in 15:55. Saratoga's Mesha Brewer was second overall and the top female with a time of 18:02.

Hogan owns two Spa City honors, winning the July Fourth Firecracker 4-mile race and the Palio half marathon.

"Today I was treating it as a training run, I wanted to go out in my tempo race for the first 11-miles running with one of my training partners, Shaun Donegan," Hogan said. "I've never done a half-marathon before, so I was seeing how it goes. I was going on a long run Sunday anyway, so it felt really good.

"If I was running it all out it would be different. I felt it was a lot more strategic. You can't go out as hard as you can in the beginning. You have a lot of time to think and to make moves. I look forward to possibly racing it in the future to see how it goes."

For MacKnight Sunday was also a warm-up for a longer race.

"My plan was for 68 to 69 minutes," Macknight said. "I'm running the Hartford Fall Marathon in four weeks. So, today was about running consistent, run fast, but in a controlled temp.

"There was a little group through mile one in about 5:35 and I just wanted to run away with it, so I threw down a couple hard miles. The second and third mile were five (minutes) flat and at two miles I was running by myself. I don't mind because I train by myself, so it's almost easier."

For the speedsters, the shorter 5K distance was about self-time and the hardware that came with it is a plus.

"I was going out for the tempo, I was training really hard this week and ran 20 miles ago in two workouts," Quinones said. "I wanted to go out and enjoy the nice racing atmosphere and support the cause."

Last year Quinones finished second by a step to Saratoga alum Greg Kiley, but this year took the top honor.

"I like seeing him here, he's a good partner to run with," Quinones said. "I was pretty much pacing it by myself, enjoying the day. There is nothing better than just running."

Quinones' pace helped dictate the winning run pace for Brewer.

"I asked Evan what he was going to go out in today and he told me about a five-minute mile pace," Mesha Brewer said. "I knew I didn't want to be right near him, so I gauged that along the first mile.

"He was in sight, but I stayed behind him," Brewer said. "I was a little disappointed in my time today. It wasn't fast for me, but I felt strong. I think I just locked into a tempo pace and stayed there and felt nice and comfortable throughout it and had fun with it."

The bigger challenge for Brewer may have been race attire.

"I think a lot of runners appreciated the weather today," Brewer said. "For me personally, it might be my old blood, but I felt a little chilly.

"It's always difficult when the weather changes to decide what I am wearing, what is going to be the best for me," the 34-year-old harrier said. "The sun was out; it wasn't raining, so that's great."

The future looks bright for local runners as Maple Avenue School sixth-grader Geoffrey Howles finished third in the men's open division with his time of 18:30.

"I've only been running for about two years, but I love it so much. It seems like I've been running my whole life," Howles said. "I've run in about 30 to 35 5Ks. This is my best finish.

"It was nice and cool, it was a great course and it was just a great race. I love when the finish line is in sight and then you bring it home. I love that feeling."

MILE MARKS: This year the Melanie Merola O'Donnell foundation named Jake's Help from Heaven as its recipient of grant funds to help further that local 501c3s charitable giving.

Next year the foundation will be donating funds to Saratoga WarHorse, a confidential, peer-to-peer equine assisted experience to assist the veteran population's emotional challenges.

More than 550 runners completed the morning's 5K race with the level of the half marathon reaching new highs with 1,481 runners. Last year the event had 1,400 runners total.